Finally – a tiny, tiny measure of justice
Trump hides behind the presidential seal
At last. Finally. Those of us who believe in the rule of law, and consequences for breaking the law, see the tiniest measure of justice meted out to Donald Trump. You have to squint to see it – but there it is. The once and future president of the United States is a convicted felon.
Through all of Trump’s protestations of being “treated so unfairly”, it’s easy to forget that he committed a crime. He was convicted by a jury of his peers for falsifying business records. But the truly awful thing he did is covering up an alleged sexual tryst with a porn star. When she threatened to tell all in the late stages of the 2016 campaign, Trump was so worried about damage to his campaign that he paid her off and then tried to hide the payments as a business expense. That’s not just a sordid thing to do to his family. He also hid damaging facts from American voters just before they went to the polls in 2016.
But it’s all out there now, and American voters sent him back to the White House anyway, which is even more alarming.
Those of us who think Trump is a chump have been mighty frustrated waiting for the justice system to provide justice. He has wiggled out of two federal indictments. The Georgia election-interference case is a mess thanks to really bad decisions by the prosecutor Fani Willis.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
If any of the rest of us had been charged in FOUR separate criminal cases, we would be looking at significant jail time. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But Trump, who whines at every turn about unfair treatment, has slipped through the dragnet nearly every time specifically because he gets special treatment. Not unfair treatment. Special beneficial treatment. He hides behind the presidential seal, claiming immunity from his criminal acts.
Judge Juan Merchan said it best at Friday’s sentencing hearing. “Donald Trump the ordinary citizen, Donald Trump the criminal defendant” would not be entitled to the protections of the presidency. The judge says the ONLY thing protecting Trump from a real punishment is the job he’s about to assume. “This court has determined that the only lawful sentence that permits entry of judgment of conviction without encroaching on the highest office in the land is an unconditional discharge.” In other words, if it was you or me before the judge, we’d have been slapped with real penalties. Probably not prison. But fines, probation, community service or more.
It's not much – this unconditional discharge – but it’s something – something Trump wanted very badly to avoid. Because it hurts the one thing he cares about – his self-image. And being a convicted felon is now part of his legacy.
The Supreme Court comes through - barely
While I’m venting here, what is with Supreme Court voting by a too-narrow 5-to-4 margin to allow Trump’s sentencing to take place? Why did four justices want to block sentencing? We don’t know because they are too elitist to tell us.
Justice Samuel Alito is among the losing four. He sees nothing wrong with having a phone call with Trump on Tuesday – one day before Trump asked the court to block his sentencing? Alito said the call was about a job reference for a former law clerk and that he had no idea Trump might ask for the court’s help. Alito is either the most disingenuous judge ever, or the most clueless. Any American reading a newspaper this week could see Trump was likely to approach the Supreme Court.
Wouldn’t Alito be smart enough to want to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest and say, “Hell, no, I’m not talking to Trump this week!” Especially after all the stories about stop-the-steal flags flying outside his homes? (He blamed them on his wife. What a stand-up guy.)
My guess is they had a cordial phone call. Congratulations, Mr. President. All chummy. Maybe nothing overt was said, but the tone behind the call is one of “we’re on the same team here.” And then two days later, Alito votes to block Trump’s sentencing without even bothering to explain to us why. That’s called thumbing your nose at the American people. He either thinks we’re clueless or not paying attention. Alito may be a legal scholar, but when it comes to common sense, he’s as dumb as a box of rocks.
A slap on the wrist
Back to Trump. After all the indictments, all the FBI raids, all the Congressional hearings, all the grand juries, all the appeals – Trump skips to the White House with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. An unconditional dismissal. It ain’t much. But for today, I’ll take it.
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The United States Supreme Court is embarrassing. Those of us that have always held the justice system to the highest standards are so disappointed.
Thank you Dave!! Those of us who care have to keep the faith…I refuse to let this uncouth idiot destroy this country for our grandchildren without fight!! Keep speaking truth to power Dave!